Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Women In Stem Conference, Maryann Rettig, Sara E. Hubbard Ph.D

Arkansas Women in STEM Conference

Analysis of BPA Leaching from Feminine Hygiene Products into Simulated Vaginal Fluid using Fluorescence Spectrophotometry

Maryann Rettig and Sara E. Hubbard, Ph.D.

Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a chemical compound commonly used to produce several plastics and epoxy resins. Recently, BPA has also been detected in feminine hygiene products. Because of a structural resemblance to estradiol, BPA can act as an endocrine disruptor, which has linked BPA to several health complications such as cancer development, reduced fertility, and early puberty. In recent summer research at Ouachita Baptist University, it was determined that fluorescence spectrophotometry could be used to monitor BPA leaching over …

Determining The Ideal Concentrations Of Ethanol And Propylene Glycol In Ethosomes For Transdermal Delivery Of Vitamin D3, Rebecca Conner

Harrisburg University Research Symposium: Highlighting Research, Innovation, & Creativity

Vitamin D₃ is an important chemical in the human body, however, many Americans have low levels of this vitamin. There are plenty of oral supplementations for Vitamin D₃ deficiency, but those of older age and busy schedules may struggle to meet the minimum requirement. A recently developed ethosomal transmembrane delivery system (Touitou, 2000), similar to liposomes but also containing ethanol, allows users to apply a gel dermally and have the desired drug or active ingredient reach the bloodstream faster. However, there is considerable variation in the concentration of ethanol and permeation enhancers used. Using an affordable method to …

Survey Of The Performance Of 5 Nm Gold Nanoparticles Within An Ssdna-Stabilized Biosensor For The Detection Of Hg2+, Madalyn Zagajowski

Scholar Week 2016 - present

The formation of a fluorescent biosensor complex consisting of 5 nm diameter gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) was conducted using a low-cost, efficient binding method. Furthermore, we assessed the analytical potential for the complex to detect mercury ions (Hg²⁺) in an aqueous solution upon collection of UV-vis and fluorescence spectrometry data for the AuNP-ssDNA complex. We aimed to investigate this potential due to the possibility that the nanoparticles formed utilizing this method would produce nanoparticles of too small a size to result in detectable fluorescence, thus the complex synthesized from this specific method was qualitatively evaluated …

Combination Chemo-Pdt Ionic Nanomedicines As Enhanced Therapeutics For Cancer, Samantha Macchi

Arkansas Women in STEM Conference

Cancer remains as one of the leading causes of death in humans worldwide. Nanotechnology has made great strides in improving treatment for the disease. This work describes a simplistic approach to design self-assembled combination nanomedicines. A facile one-step ion exchange reaction is utilized to combine a chemotherapeutic (phosphonium) cation and photodynamic therapeutic (porphyrin) anion. An aqueous nanomedicine is prepared from the hydrophobic ionic combination drug via a single-step reprecipitation method. Upon conversion to ionic combination drug, improved photophysical properties of porphyrin were observed. These characteristics subsequently led to increased photodynamic therapeutic activity of nanomedicines—explained by greater singlet oxygen quantum yield. …

Surface Area Enhancement Of Doped Carbon Materials Via Novel Freeze-Pore Methodology, Iris Denmark

Arkansas Women in STEM Conference

Supercapacitors are one of today’s growing means of alternative energy. They are portable, produce much higher capacitance than traditional capacitors, and operate under lower voltages than that of batteries. Herein, we have synthesized a series of supercapacitor materials from sodium lignosulfonate, otherwise known as lignosol, which are co-doped with phosphorus and nitrogen. The materials are synthesized utilizing a green and time-efficient microwave irradiation process. Subsequently, these materials have been optimized by utilizing a novel process by which surface area and electrochemical properties is enhanced by freezing of their porous surface. Materials undergoing this method have shown significant increase in BET …

Carrier-Free Chemo-Ptt/Pdt Ionic Nanomaterials For Combination Cancer Therapy, Samantha Macchi

Arkansas Women in STEM Conference

Herein, we describe a carrier-free combination nanodrug for treatment of cancer. In this work, we combined a photothermal compound and a chemotherapeutic drug using ionic liquid chemistry. We utilized a facile, one-step metathesis approach to replace the counter cation of a near infra-red (NIR) dye (photothermal agent) with a chemotherapeutic cation to synthesize an ionic material-based combination cancer therapy drug to deliver multiple mechanisms simultaneously. The nanodrugs were developed by using a reprecipitation method. The detailed photophysical properties of this new combination therapy molecule was investigated in ethanol solution as well as in nanoparticles forms in aqueous media. The singlet …

Computational Chemistry - Ulk 101, Michaela Montpas

Scholar Week 2016 - present

Autophagy is a process that generates the necessary building components for cells by cytoplasmic breakdown of unnecessary materials (Martin, Celano, Solitro, Gunaydin, Scott, et. al., 2018). This is a survival technique for cells in times of stress, especially during periods of nutrient starvation. Cancer cells, unfortunately, benefit from this process due to their ability to flourish in nutrient-starved environments, becoming resistant to therapy. The primary protein in mammals responsible for this process is a serine/threonine kinase called ULK 1 (unc-51 like autophagy initiating kinase 1). As such, inhibitors of ULK 1 can be used in cancer therapies in order to …

Quantification Of Vitamin B12 In Two Cricket Species, Haley Smeltz

Student Scholar Showcase

Entomophagy, or the eating of insects, has been practiced in the eastern world for centuries, however it is currently overlooked in the western nations. Studies have shown that insects, such as crickets, contain high levels of protein and minerals, however vitamin content is rarely studied. This study aims to quantify the vitamin B₁₂ content in two cricket species, the common house cricket (Acheta domesticus) and the banded cricket (Gryllodes sigillatus). The vitamin B₁₂ content of both cricket species will be quantified using reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). Prior to RP-HPLC analysis, all the …

Design, Construction, And Characterization Of A Low-Cost Spectrometer With Interchangeable Parts, Jack Godek

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

A low-cost spectrometer was designed for the purpose of teaching spectroscopy. The spectrometer can be built by the student and contains interchangeable pieces such as slit width, grating, and lenses. This will allow the student to understand how changing these variables effects resolution. The spectrometer was constructed from PVC pipe, a plastic electrical box, and a USB webcam. The actual resolution of the spectrometer is close to the theoretical value, depending on which lens and grating is used. In addition, an extra piece can be added that allows absorption spectra to be collected. Having the student piece together the spectrometer …

Quantitative Analysis Of Iron In Beer Using Cloud Point Extraction, Joshua Rempfer

Student Scholar Showcase

Determination of Iron concentration in Apocalypse Ale beer using a preconcentration method coupled with UV-Vis spectroscopy. Samples will be cross checked with MP-AES to ensure precise and accurate results.

Elemental Analysis Of Legacy Sediments At College Lake, Amelia Dalton

Student Scholar Showcase

College Lake is a large reservoir located on the campus of the University of Lynchburg. College Lake’s ecosystem has degraded over the years due to the buildup of sediment, nutrients, and raw sewage. Increased urbanization in the area has also most likely contributed to the contaminants present within the system. Because of flooding issues during the summer of 2018, Lynchburg CIty officials drained College Lake, which caused sediment to be released downstream. To better understand the transport of heavy metals in the sediments released from College Lake, sediment core samples were taken from College Lake, Hollins Mill Park, and Sandusky …

Mobilization Of Calcium Across Mineralized Tissues In Yellow Perch, Perca Flavescens, Taylor Bopp

Student Scholar Showcase

Bones in many higher teleost fish, such as percids and centrarchids, lack osteocytes that function as both chemo- and mechano-sensors, and thus, are not actively involved in homeostasis of blood calcium level. Nonetheless, the vertebrae of yellow perch, Perca flavescens (P. flavescens), living in darker and low calcium (Ca) water, have demonstrated adaptive modeling and remodeling of vertebrae to be more mineralized and thus enhance transmission of the axial muscle torque into the thrust force for the C-start predator escape behavior. The prey-predator interaction is expected to occur at closer range between prey fish and predator fish in …

A Chemical In Filter Paper Interferes With Trail Following Behavior In The Termite Reticulitermes Hesperus (Banks), Kathryn Vest

Student Scholar Showcase

Termites follow chemical trails. In previous experiments we dissolved and diluted chemicals in acetone to test if they elicited trail following. Each trail was a straight line across the arena drawn with 10 µl using a glass capillary (Microcaps). We noticed a minor but stable response to trails laid with pure acetone. The response could be caused by contaminated acetone or by a chemical in the filter paper (Watman #5) that lined our arena (petri dish, 10cm diameter). We could confirm that the termites respond to acetone alone. Soxkhlet extraction for 8 hours removed the signal from the filter paper. …

Lake Sediment Analysis At Heron Haven Nature Center, Erik Lato

UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair

Understanding the chemical composition of a wetland sanctuary lakebed can help us understand how recent developments may have changed the chemical composition. Due to recent dredging by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and previous research on water composition at Heron Haven, the goal of this project was to determine the chemical composition as a function of sediment depth. The concentration of seven different metals and nutrients were analyzed in terms of depth. The aluminum, iron, and phosphate concentrations had no real discernible concentration change as a function of depth. There is some hint of a steady increase of manganese …

Elevated Calcium Levels In Kentucky Lake: A Possible Emerging Problem With An Invasive Species, Adam T. Martin

Posters-at-the-Capitol

Zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha) are an exotic and invasive mollusk that have spread extensively through various rivers and lakes in the United States. These mussels are notorious for their “biofouling” capabilities costing billions of dollars in their removal from industrial, public, and power plant water supply lines. While having been present in the Tennessee River drainage with occasional small reproducing populations since the early 1990s, zebra mussels were never abundant or widespread. In 2017, high densities were found on structures and solid substrates throughout the lower portion of Kentucky Lake. Calcium is one of the essential elements that contributes …

Consumption Profiles Of Illicit And Neuropsychiatric Drugs In Urban And Rural Communities In Kentucky Using Sewage Epidemiology, Tara Croft, Katelyn Foppe, Rhiannon Huffines, Bikram Subedi

Posters-at-the-Capitol

The drug overdose deaths in the USA increased by ~20% from 2015 to 2016 to the total >63,600 drug overdose deaths in 2016. Kentucky is among the highest rate of drug overdose death states in the USA. The current estimates of the prevalence of substance abuse are based on the self-reported surveys, overdose/toxicological reports, and drug-related crime statistics. Survey-based conventional approaches are not only cost and time-intensive but also underestimate the actual consumption of drugs. As “wastewater never lie,” the drug residues in raw wastewater collected from the centralized wastewater treatment plants were utilized to determine the consumption rate of …

Eating Crickets? Nutrient Mineral Content Of Two Cricket Species And Chapul Cricket Protein Bars Using Mp-Aes, Nathan Hopkins

Student Scholar Showcase

Global agriculture is beset by numerous challenges which must be surmounted to feed a developing world, from combating climate change to the cultivation of sustainable food products. This, in addition to protein and nutrient deficiencies in the developing world, makes considering alternative protein sources, such as a crickets, an attractive option. Crickets use a fraction of the land and water that protein sources like beef cattle do, and can be cultivated in urban environments in stacked boxes. This research investigation aims to quantify the nutrient mineral content (Iron, Sodium, Potassium, Calcium, and Magnesium) of two cricket species (Acheta domesticus …

Kinetics Of Crystal Violet Color Fading Via A Small Footprint Diode Array Spectrometer, Paige Lott

Georgia College Student Research Events

Crystal violet is a pH indicator and is commonly used to classify bacteria. In acidic solutions, crystal violet is yellow in color and at approximately the pH of 1.6, it transitions to a violet color. Over time, this violet color fades as it reacts with the CO 2 in the air until it is clear. A small footprint visible-near- infrared spectrometer (Vis-NIR) with diode array detector was employed in this investigation. Using the software that operates the spectrometer, the absorbance of crystal violet solutions can be measured at 585 nm at high concentrations of base as a function of time. …

Spectrofluorometric Analysis Of Bisphenol-A In Drinking Water Bottles, Jeff Brochetti

Student Scholar Showcase

Spectrofluorometric Analysis of Bisphenol-A in Drinking Water Bottles

Bisphenol-A (BPA) is of environmental concern due to its ability to act as an endocrine disruptor in humans and many other animals. In the food industry, BPA is widely used in the production of plastic bottles and plastic liners in aluminum cans. Over time, trace amounts of BPA can leach from the container and into the contents inside. A new method of testing for trace amount of BPA involved the formation of an inclusion complex with ß-Cyclodextrin. With the formation of the inclusion complex, it becomes much easier to analyze low concentrations …

The Effect Of Nitrate On The Release Of Glucose Into The Hemolymph Of Crayfish, Procambarus Clarkii, Alec R. Flores, Lee Kats, David Green, Gary Bucciarelli

Seaver College Research And Scholarly Achievement Symposium

Pollutants can change the behaviors of invertebrate stream animals. The level of one common pollutant, nitrate (NO3), has been rising in many local rivers and streams throughout the United States due to increases in anthropogenic sources. Nitrate, heavily regulated for its toxic effects to human health, namely the aiding in the development of cancer, also dangerously affects aquatic species by converting oxygen-carrying pigments to forms that are incapable of carrying oxygen. To understand the stress effects of ambient nitrate exposure on P. clarkii, we collected hemolymph samples from red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) over a 48-hour period after exposure to …